Graceland Cemetery has debuted a new entryway designed to draw people in rather than keep people out, embracing its status as one of Chicago’s great green spaces.
Stories by Patty Wetli
Graceland Cemetery Debuts Visitor-Friendly Entryway Designed to Breathe New Life Into This Historic Treasure
Nov 30, 2023 | Patty Wetli
Snow or No Snow, Chicago’s Winter Parking Ban Starts Friday. Here’s How to Avoid Getting Towed
Nov 28, 2023 | Patty Wetli
Starting Dec. 1, Chicago’s overnight parking ban takes effect on 107 miles of streets, snow or no snow, from 3-7 a.m. daily through April 1.
Chicago Park District Outdoor Skating Rinks Open for the Season, With a New Twist for Gen Xers and Boomers
Nov 27, 2023 | Patty Wetli
Outdoor skating rinks at five Chicago parks open Nov. 24, joining rinks at Maggie Daley Park and Millennium Park where skating is already underway.
Sunday’s Snowfall Total in Chicago, All 1.8 Inches of It, Beat the Odds
Nov 27, 2023 | Patty Wetli
Dec. 7 is the average date for the city to record its first 1-inch snowfall, according to the National Weather Service.
Let’s Talk Turkey: 10 Wild Facts About America’s Bird
Nov 22, 2023 | Patty Wetli
This year, don't head to your Thanksgiving gathering empty-handed. Take these wild turkey fun facts with you, and use them to fill awkward silences.
Chicago’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is Set to Step Off for Its 89th Year
Nov 21, 2023 | Patty Wetli
The annual Chicago Thanksgiving Parade steps off for the 89th year on Thursday.
USDA’s New Plant Hardiness Map Puts Chicago in Warmer Company With Kentucky. What Does This Mean for Area Gardens and Natural Areas?
Nov 20, 2023 | Patty Wetli
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently released a new plant hardiness zone map, and significant swaths of the country — Chicago included — are now in warmer zones.
Have You Heard of ‘Leave the Leaves’? It Might Not Mean What You Think, So Don’t Toss That Rake Just Yet
Nov 17, 2023 | Patty Wetli
The core principle of “leave the leaves” is to manage the leaves on site. It doesn’t mean to just leave them where they fell.
It’s Fire Season — On Purpose — In the Region’s Forest Preserves. Cook County Has a New Map of Prescribed Burn Sites
Nov 17, 2023 | Patty Wetli
Forest preserve districts across the region are in the middle of fire season — not combatting them, but setting them.
Honk If You Love Monarchs. Illinois Finally Set to Issue License Plate to Benefit Endangered Insect
Nov 16, 2023 | Patty Wetli
After a seven-year wait, the state of Illinois will finally begin issuing monarch butterfly specialty license plates, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced Thursday.
The CTA 2023 Holiday Train Schedule Is Here
Nov 16, 2023 | Patty Wetli
The wildly popular Holiday Train is back for a 32nd year, running Nov. 24 through Dec. 21. Here’s when and where to catch it.
They’re Whooping It Up in Kane County Over Sighting of Endangered Whooping Cranes
Nov 15, 2023 | Patty Wetli
Fewer than 100 whooping cranes migrate through the eastern U.S. A family of three paid a visit to a Kane County forest preserve Nov. 9-10 while winging their way to Florida.
3.6 Magnitude Earthquake Rocks Illinois, 100 Miles From Chicago
Nov 15, 2023 | Patty Wetli
A 3.6 magnitude earthquake hit north central Illinois Wednesday morning, shortly before 5 a.m., the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is reporting.
Looking for a Wrench? There’s a Bag of Tools Orbiting Earth and Here’s How You Can Track It Down
Nov 14, 2023 | Patty Wetli
During their first-ever spacewalk, astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara spent hours outside the International Space Station, successfully replacing hardware on the station’s solar array. But a tool bag became untethered and is now orbiting Earth.
North American Birds Named After Bad People Will Get a New Name. So Will Birds Named After Good Guys. Chicago Birders Weigh in on Polarizing Decision
Nov 12, 2023 | Patty Wetli
North America’s eponymous birds — those named for people — will all receive new names. The decision made by the American Ornithological Society has drawn praise from some quarters and provoked vehement opposition elsewhere.
Don’t Forget to Set Clocks Back an Hour This Weekend
Nov 3, 2023 | Patty Wetli
Clocks roll back to standard time at 2 a.m. Sunday.
Chicago Has Its 2023 Christmas Tree, a 45-Footer From Darien
Nov 3, 2023 | Patty Wetli
The 45-foot Colorado Blue Spruce will take centerstage during an official tree lighting ceremony on Nov. 17 at 6 p.m.
Pumpkin Smash Events Set for This Weekend. Here’s Where to Find the One Nearest You
Nov 2, 2023 | Patty Wetli
This weekend, nearly 80 sites across the greater Chicago region will be collecting pumpkins for composting, part of a nationwide push to keep food waste out of landfills.
Reprieve for Little Free Libraries After City Council Delays Vote on Measure That Would Require Permits for the Tiny Bibliotecas
Nov 1, 2023 | Patty Wetli
An ordinance amendment would require library hosts to obtain a permit before setting up a “public bookcase” in the public way, and would limit permit holders to institutions.
Brookfield Zoo Welcomes Baby Shark Via Rare ‘Virgin Birth.’ If That’s Not Amazing Enough, It Also Walks
Nov 1, 2023 | Patty Wetli
The epaulette shark pup hatched Aug. 23, born from what staff believe was an unfertilized egg.
‘Tis the Season, LITE FM Goes All Holiday Music All the Time on Thursday
Nov 1, 2023 | Patty Wetli
Love it or hate it, the stunt works for the station. In 2022, the LITE’s ratings doubled between November and December.
Snow and Freezing Wind Chills Combine for One of the Nastiest Chicago Halloweens on Record
Oct 31, 2023 | Patty Wetli
The scariest thing this Halloween is the weather forecast for trick-or-treaters.
Looking for a Good Scare on Halloween? Mother Nature’s a Real Scream Queen
Oct 31, 2023 | Patty Wetli
From carnivorous plants to blood-sucking sea creatures, nature serves up plenty of frights, lots of them found right here in Illinois.
McCormick Place Says It Will Do Better by Birds After 1,000 Killed in Mass Casualty Event. Conservationists Want Proof
Oct 30, 2023 | Patty Wetli
Monday’s meeting of the McPier board was dominated by discussion of the mass death of 1,000 birds in a single day, killed after colliding with McCormick Place. Bird conservationists want a solution in place by spring migration.
Chicago’s Halloween Forecast: It’s Going To Be a Classic ‘Throw On a Coat Over Your Costume’ Kind of Night
Oct 27, 2023 | Patty Wetli
The National Weather Service isn’t even trying to sugarcoat the forecast for Halloween. It’s all downhill from here.
Leaf Peeping is Hitting Its Peak. Here’s How to Take Advantage of Fall Color Season Close to Chicago
Oct 26, 2023 | Patty Wetli
The fall foliage season got off to a slow start in the Chicago region but is making up for lost time. We’ve rounded up some resources to help you make the most of Mother Nature’s spectacular, but short-lived, autumnal display.